Help with february holiday with baby! Canaries? UK Hotel (like Bedruthan)? Centre parcs?

[sorcha80]

We're planning on a holiday in feb with our then 10-month-old before I return to work.

Anyone have any recommendations for TOTAL relaxation? (Preferably no cooking or cleaning)
Don't care about location as long as flight isn't too long.

Don't care about weather if there's enough to do indoors or nice gentle winter walks.
Swimming pool is an absolute must, heated and preferably with baby/toddler area!
Spa also a must.

I love the idea of those hotels that cater to babies - all equipment and amenities provided, babysitting, soft play areas, restaurants that make fresh baby food! It's a matter of finding one that has enough to keep us occupied, especially if it's in the UK and freezing cold outside.
I love the look of the big pool complex places at centre parcs but the rest of it looks to be a hassle, having to bring your own groceries and equipment and such. Is it as bad as I'm thinking or is it a great easy place to go with a baby?

Would love to hear your ideas?
(Especially specific hotels/resorts if someone has had a fabulous holiday with a baby they'd like to share!)

Thanks :-)

Jebel Ali Golf Resort in Dubai has a beachfront hotel (JA Palm Court I think) that has everything you want - at a price! Dubai, away from half term week, would be a good choice though. Centre Parcs is not brilliant for babies in my view. Better when children are older.

Look at babyfriendlyboltholes.co.uk for ideas.

Thanks, I think Dubai is further than we would like (and probably too expensive also!) We've looked at all the baby travel sites too but it's difficult to find exactly what we want and we were also hoping from some recommendations from personal experience from folk who have had a great holiday :-)
Thanks!

Watching with interest, we've got a slightly older baby and pretty much the same issue!

Calcot manor hotel has everything you are looking for

But is in UK

Look at Clydey cottages - it is self catering but they have high quality homemade frozen meals and you can arrange a telco food delivery for before you arrive. Pool and hot tubs are amazing, there are treatments available and it is the only relaxing holiday I have had since I had children!

I recommend centerparcs in Suffolk. If you did not want to cook, they've many restaurants in the main village. They do also have a very lush spa. Center parcs can be ridiculous over priced during school holidays though.

Cowley Manor and Calcot Manor are UK hotels with spas and great restaurants that cater for kids too. Babbington House is another (in fact its the best but family rooms book up a year in advance) all are pricey though. Villa Pia in Tuscany is am amazing family friendly set up wuth loads for kids. Cyprus might be good at that time of year, i have heard good things about the Almyra Resort in Cyprus. Villas Martinhal in Portugal also fab.

Thanks all!
We would avoid half term so hopefully will keep the costs a bit lower. We're happy to stay in the UK as long as there's enough to do - will definitely look into those uk hotels, thank you.

@PrintScreen - we looked at Martinhall but wouldn't it be almost as cold as the uk in feb? I think they only had an outdoor pool :-(

@aclxx - if we did centreparcs we'd do the new one just outside London (as we're car-less and live in London!) but we've been so put off by the faff that seems to surround it - there seems to be so much you have to bring yourself? Also is it all self-catering? I don't fancy doing any cooking or cleaning whatsoever - too much like being at home!!

Thanks for all the suggestions so far :-)

We had the same criteria bit but a pretty low budget. Liked the idea of CP apart from having to find somewhere to eat for each meal or self catering. So we've gone for all inclusive at Baia Lara in Turkey. Reviews say very toddler friendly - good quality kids' food, indoor and outdoor toddler and adult pools and play areas, spa, kids club, babysitting, looks amazing! Mallorca is closer and always has a great selection of family hotels but it's more expensive

Our first family holiday was at Fowey Hall in Cornwall.. Indoor pool, spa, babysitters, lovely restaurant. Plenty to do nearby we thought. Can't do enough to help you. Would recommend.

Martinhal does have an indoor pool, good spa and great kids club & crèche. It's a slightly soulless place even in the height of the summer. We had a great but very windy summer holiday there but not somewhere I would recommend for February.

Not sure Turkey in February would work weather wise or even whether resorts would be open?

I would go for centre parks. You have a lovely pool to use, and lots of activities. I would just buy the breakfast passes and eat out or order takeaway if you don't want to cook.

Canaries are lovely in Feb, it's usually sunny enough to paddle in the sea and sunbathe, although lots of hotels do not have heated pools, so you need to check that out! I'd recommend playa Blanca on the southernmost tip of Lanzarote. Maybe princess yaiza hotel if you can afford it? Or we stayed at Jardines del Sol and thought it was great!

Oh sorry, I completely missed the February bit! Canaries? We loved Sandos San Blas when we went a few years ago though you'd probably find a better hotel for toddlers. People seem to really rate the Sensatori one though it's not cheap.

We went to Lanzarote one February and the weather was disappointingly cool. We hit 20 degrees on the last day. It wasn't warm enough to swim or wear summer clothes most of the time and the evenings and nights are chilly. We had the heater on in the apartment in the evening.

Ooh is there a sensatori in the canaries?

I keep seeing references to Senator on these forums. What is so special about them?

I've not been to a Sensatori but I think they generally get fantastic reviews and are supposed to be as close as you can get to a luxurious family holiday on a package deal. But that's only what I've read.

Canaries definitely not guaranteed amazing weather in February. We went in March and it was around 22C, mostly sunny but some cloud and wind/light showers. Didn't bother me one bit as don't like very hot weather and was happy to relax inside when it rained but I know some people wouldn't find that hot enough. Egypt much better I think for guaranteed weather.

We stayed here , it was lovely. There is a nature warm spring swimming pool and a great spa.
We hired a car and drove around the island which was really easy and lots to see and do. We also went whale watching.

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g189134-d498300-Reviews-Terra_Nostra_Garden_Hotel-Sao_Miguel_Azores.html

I think OH and I had lunch there when we went to Sao Miguel. The island is so pretty, especially with all the hydrangea hedges.

I doubt it would be very warm in February. It wasn't very hot when we were there in August.

Can recommend the sensatori in Tenerife, went outside school hols and was great. Good pools, nice people, great public spaces and lots to do. We also found that the other families were really friendly and out DD made lots of friends, kids club/crèche was brill as well.